Two lawsuits have been filed against a Texas law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms.
On Wednesday, 16 Texas families filed a lawsuit challenging a new state law that requires the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms, alleging a violation of the separation of church and state.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, also argued the law violated the First Amendment and right to free religious exercise.
The law requires posters to be hung in a “conspicuous place” in the classroom and that the commandments are “in a size and typeface that is legible to a person with average vision from anywhere in the room.” It also requires the commandments followed by Protestant Christians to be displayed.
“As a rabbi and public-school parent, I am deeply concerned that S.B. 10 will impose another faith’s scripture on students for nearly every hour of the school day,” said plaintiff Rabbi Mara Nathan. “While our Jewish faith treats the Ten Commandments as sacred, the version mandated under this law does not match the text followed by our family, and the school displays will conflict with the religious beliefs and values we seek to instill in our child.”
The lawsuit is made up of Christian, Jewish, Hindu and nonreligious families represented by the Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Freedom From Religion Foundation and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.
“For many years, the Ten Commandments were displayed in public buildings and classrooms across America to instill strong moral character in our children and among our communities. Texas returned to this tradition when the Texas Legislature passed S.B. 10 and the Governor signed it into law. As Attorney General of Texas, Governor Abbott proudly defended the Ten Commandments Monument on the Texas Capitol grounds before the Supreme Court—and won. He is confident that the Texas Attorney General will fight to defend this law as well,” said Andrew Mahaleris, press secretary for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) office.
This is the second lawsuit filed against the law, following another in June filed by a group of faith leaders that also alleged First Amendment violations.
The legal battles will likely follow a similar issue in Arkansas, after a law was passed requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms.
A federal appeals court recently upheld a lower court ruling to block the Arkansas law, setting up a potential battle at the Supreme Court.
Updated at 4:02 p.m. EDT
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